A Taste of Fall
Changing leaves. Cooler temperatures. Sweaters. Dark mornings, and even darker evenings. Pumpkin spice. And all things APPLE!
Fall is here! Summer flew by, and although we were all sad to see it end, I’ll admit I’m finding myself ready for the vibrant colors, scents, and flavors of fall.
Apples are a favorite around our home. While we can pick up a bag of apples at the grocery store year round, there’s something special about apples in fall whether picked directly from the tree, purchased from a local farm stand, or grabbed by the “tote” in the grocery store.
Come fall, I’m ready to fill the kitchen with the scents and flavors of homemade applesauce, apple cobbler, baked apples, Grandma’s apple cake, and our long-time family favorite: German pancakes filled with warm cinnamon apples and just a dollop of cinnamon whipped cream. My German great-grandmother called them German pancakes, though you may know them as Dutch babies.
To me, whipping up this light and airy pancake and scooping in the apple filling screams, “Fall is here!” And the only thing better than one German pancake on a crisp fall morning is two German pancakes! Fortunately, this recipe is super easy to double.
Pancake Ingredients:
3 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon sugar
Pinch of nutmeg
Pinch of cinnamon
1/4 cup of butter (4 tablespoons)
Apple Filling:
4-6 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg
4-6 apples*, peeled and sliced – personally, I’d use 6; my kids are adamant that you can never have too many!
Whipped topping, syrup, preserves, confectioners’ sugar, or cinnamon sugar to serve.
*Note: Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Braeburn, and Pink Lady are all excellent options – firm, slightly tart apples that hold their shape while cooking.
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Combine the eggs, flour, milk, vanilla, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a blender jar and blend until smooth. The batter may also be mixed by hand.
Place the butter in a heavy 10-inch skillet or baking dish and place in the oven. As soon as the butter has melted (watch it so it does not burn), add the batter to the pan. Return the pan to the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until the pancake is puffed and golden. Lower the oven temperature to 300 degrees and bake five minutes longer.
While the pancake is baking, we’ll prepare the apples. Preheat a large skillet. Add the butter to the hot pan. Once the butter has melted, add the peeled and sliced apples. Cook over low heat for 10-15 minutes, until the apples are soft. Be sure to stir often so they don’t burn. Mix the sugars, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a small bowl. Add the sugar & spice mixture to the apples and stir. Cook for another 5-10 minutes until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is syrupy. Remove from the heat.
Remove the pancake from the oven. Immediately fill with the apple filling and then cut into wedges. Top with whipped cream, if desired. Sometimes we make our own cinnamon whipped cream, and sometimes we reach for the can. Both work just fine.
Other serving options include any fruit your family loves (a berry compote is wonderful in summer), syrup, preserves, confectioners’ sugar, or cinnamon sugar. Ice cream with chocolate or caramel syrup makes a fun addition for a special breakfast – or even a dinner celebration!
Enjoy!